Reuseable pressurized dispenser

ABSTRACT

A reuseable pressurized dispenser for a liquid such as a riot control agent includes a pressure vessel having a hand operated valve and nozzle means in communication therewith and a refilling opening therein in which a closure member carrying a puncturable compressed gas cartridge and a puncturing device is positioned.

Unite States Patent 1 [111 3,865,158

Withrow 1 Feb. 11,1975

[54] REUSEABLE PRESSURHZED DISPENSER 2,682,967 7/1954 'Hill 222/5 3,093, 79 6 I963 Eh [75] Inventor: Robert B. Withrow, Arlington, Va. 9 rem et al 222/5 [73] Asstgnee: a gh g ti Primary Examiner-H0ust0n S. Bell, Jr.

g Attorney, Agent, or FirmWebster B. Harpman [22] Filed: Apr. 27, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 355,186

[57] ABSTRACT 52 U.S. CI. 141/19, 222/5 A reuseable pressurized dispenser for a liquid such as [51] TL Cl B65) 31/09 a riot Control agent includes a pressure vessel having a [58] Flew of Search 141/3 hand operated valve and nozzle means in communica- 22'2/5 tion therewith and a refilling opening therein in which a closure member carrying a puncturable compressed [56] References C'ted gas cartridge and a puncturing device is positioned.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,659,629 11/1953 Graham 141/19 3 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure 1 REUSEABLE PRESSURIZED DISPENSER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to reuseable pressurized containers which may be used as dispensers for various liq uid agents and the like.

2. Description of the Prior Art Prior devices of this type may be seen for example in U.S. Pat. No. 2,976,897 in which a pressurized canister is provided with a false bottom in which a compressed gas cartridge is positioned and arranged to be moved into puncturing engagement with a gas delivery tube communicating with another portion of the pressurized container.

Additional patents showing the location of a pressure cartridge in proximity to material to be expelled by the same are U.S. Pats. Nos. 2,630,942 and 2,659,629. Further examples of pressurized containers utilizing power cartridges which are disposed externally of the containers may be seen in U.S. Pats. Nos. 2,351,376, 2,557,120, 2,585,253, 2,593,165 and 3,632,045.

Still further examples of prior art may be seen in U.S.-

Pats. Nos. 2,208,490, 3,558,010 and 2,533,685.

This invention eliminates the complicated gas delivering components and actuating devices of the prior art and provides an easier, quicker means of refilling the dispenser and installing a new gas cartridge simultaneously therewith.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A reuseable pressurized dispenser consists of a pressure vessel in which a fluid agent or the like may be positioned and provided with an outlet opening in which a combination nozzle and hand operated valve is located. A refilling opening is formed in the pressure vessel and a closure member is provided therefore. The

closure member includes a mounting for a replaceable compressed gas cartridge together with a puncturing device therefor.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The FIGURE in the drawings is a side elevation of the reuseable pressurized dispenser with parts broken away and parts in cross section.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the form of the invention chosen for illustration the reuseable pressurized dispenser comprises a cylindrical pressure vessel having an upper end wall 11 with a centrally positioned neck 12 defining an outlet opening to which a unitary valve body 13 is attached. The valve body 13 may include a pressure gauge 14, a fixed carrying handle 15 and a movable valve operating lever 16 is pivoted as at 17 to the body 13 so that movement relative to the pivot 17 and the handle 15 serves to actuate the valve in the valve body 13 and permit the contents of the cylindrical vessel 10 to be discharged through a nozzle 18.

Those skilled in the art will observe that the construction is similar to that of pressurized fire extinguishers heretofore widely used.

The lower end of the cylindrical pressure vessel 10 is provided with a lower end wall 19 which along with the cylindrical pressure vessel 10 and the upper end wall 11 defines a chamber 20 in which a fluid agent to be dispensed is positioned. A dip tube 21 extends from the valve body 13 downwardly within; the cylindrical pres sure vessel 10 to a point spaced above the lower end wall 19. A central opening 22 is formed in the lower end wall 19 and an exteriorly threaded tubular body 23 is secured therein with the major portion thereof depending below the lower surface of the lower end wall 19. A collar 24 having an inturned thread pattern and an inturned flange 25 threadably engages the externally threaded tubular body 23 so that it supports a closure member 26 within the area of the opening 22 and in sealing relation to the externally threaded tubular body 23. An O-ring seal forms an efficient sealing means between the respective parts.

The closure member 26 is formed with an axial bore 27, the upper end of which is larger than the lower end and arranged to threadably engage the neck of a compressed gas cartridge 28 mounted therein. The lower end of the axial bore 27 is of smaller diameter than the upper end and is also threaded to receive a puncturing device which consists of a pointed rod 29 externally threaded and having a transverse pin 30 near its lower end. A second O-ring 31 positioned in an annular groove in the closure member 26 sealingly engages the pointed rod 29.

It will thus be seen that when the collar 24 is rotated in one direction it will move downwardly and away from the externally threaded tubular body 23 which defines the opening 22 in the lower end wall 19 of the reuseable pressurized dispenser which action permits the removal of the closure member 26 with the attached gas cartridge 28 and the puncturing device including the pointed rod 29 as a unit so that the chamber 20 in the dispenser may be readily filled through the opening 22. When filled the closure member 26 with its assembled gas cartridge 28 and puncturing device including the pointed rod 29 is again positioned in the opening 22 so that a flange 32 on the lower end of the closure member 26 registers with the lower end of the externally threaded tubular body 23. A collar 24 is then threaded onto the externally threaded tubular body 23 to securely mount the closure 26, the gas cartridge 28 and the puncturing device including the pointed rod 29 in sealing relation in the opening 22 of the reuseable pressurized dispenser.

It will be observed that the lowermost portion of the cylindrical pressure vessel 10 defines an annular skirt 33 which encloses the puncturing device including the pointed rod 29 and its transverse pin 30 as well as the collar 24 while providing convenient access to the same through the open bottom thereof.

In operation the reuseable pressurized dispenser is held by the operator in one hand, the other hand used to rotate the pointed rod 29 by means of the transverse pin 30 so as to move it inwardly until the pointed end which is bifurcated punctures the: closed end of the gas cartridge 28. The gas is delivered through a transverse passageway 32 in the closure member 26 and there may be several such passageways, to an annular space defined by the annular upper wall of the closure member 26 which is of smaller diameter than the externally threaded tubular body 23 in which it is positioned. The delivery of the pressurizing gas thus effectively discharges any fluid agent or ,the like, including a dry powder, upwardly through the dip tube 21 and when the valve in the valve body 13 is open outwardly through the nozzle 18. Upon exhaustion of the contents, the collar 24 is rotated to unthread the same from the externally threaded tubular body 23 whereupon the closure member with the exhausted gas cartridge 28 and the puncturing device may be completely removed to permit the device to be recharged as hereinbefore described.

Those skilled in the art will observe that it will be necessary to revolve the pointed rod 29 sufficiently to move the pointed end downwardly to clear the sealed end of a new charged gas cartridge to be positioned in the device.

it will thus be seen that a simple, highly efficient, and relatively inexpensive reuseable pressurized dispenser has been disclosed in which the arrangement is such that relatively inexperienced personnel may refill and recharge the dispensers from time to time as necessary.

Although but one embodiment of the present invention has been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

l. A reuseable pressurized dispenser comprising a pressure vessel having filling and discharge openings therein, a valve body incorporating a discharge nozzle and a control valve therefor secured in said discharge opening and a closure member removably positioned in said filling opening, said closure member having communicating axial and transverse bores therein. portions of said axial bores being threaded, a pointed rod disposed in said axial bore for movement therein, a threaded area on said rod engaged in one of said threaded portions of said axial bore, a replaceable gas cartridge, a threaded neck and seal on said gas cartridge engaged in one of said threaded portions of said bore and positioned adjacent said pointed rod so that axial movement of said pointed rod occuring when the same is rotated in one direction will puncture said seal to pressurize said dispenser and releaseable means on said pressure vessel normally holding said closure member in said filling opening, said means arranged to permit said closure member, the pointed rod and the replaceable gas cartridge engaged thereon to be placed into and removed from the pressure vessel as a unit.

2. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein an exteriorly threaded tubular body is positioned in said filling opening and said closure member, is positioned in said tubular body, said threaded rod extending below said tubular body for manual actuation.

3. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein the pressure vessel has side walls and upper and lower end walls, the lower end wall being spaced inwardly of the lower end of said side walls and wherein said filling opening is formed in said lower end wall. 

1. A reuseable pressurized dispenser comprising a pressure vessel having filling and discharge openings therein, a valve body incorporating a discharge nozzle and a control valve therefor secured in said discharge opening and a closure member removably positioned in said filling opening, said closure member having communicating axial and transverse bores therein, portions of said axial bores being threaded, a pointed rod disposed in said axial bore for movement therein, a threaded area on said rod engaged in one of said threaded portions of said axial bore, a replaceable gas cartridge, a threaded neck and seal on said gas cartridge engaged in one of said threaded portions of said bore and positioned adjacent said pointed rod so that axial movement of said pointed rod occuring when the same is rotated in one direction will puncture said seal to pressurize said dispenser and releaseable means on said pressure vessel normally holding said closure member in said filling opening, said means arranged to permit said closure member, the pointed rod and the replaceable gas cartridge engaged thereon to be placed into and removed from the pressure vessel as a unit.
 2. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein an exteriorly threaded tubular body is positioned in said filling opening and said closure member, is positioned in said tubular body, said threaded rod extending below said tubular body for manual actuation.
 3. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein the pressure vessel has side walls and upper and lower end walls, the lower end wall being spaced inwardly of the lower end of said side walls and wherein said filling opening is formed in said lower end wall. 